The wayward journeys of two mostly empty nesters.

The Desert Towers glass sculpture by artist Dale Chahuly greets you at the entrance to the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix. We arrived in the early afternoon, but not early enough to avoid the heat – even in March. With plenty of water to keep us hydrated, we strolled from one shady spot to another – stopping to read plaques about the various plants, listen to the murmuring water features, and look for squirrels, lizards, birds and bees going about their business. The fragrances ranged from sweet and mild to pungent and musky. Each of the five main trail loops explores a different aspect of the desert, including wildflowers, herbs, and plants and people of the Sonoran Desert. We would have liked to visit the Butterfly Pavilion, but were not up to the long line in the sun. Next time we’ll get there earlier.

After our tour, we had a tall glass of tea under the pergola outside Gertrude’s Restaurant near the entrance of the Garden. A lovely afternoon.